Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’, characterized by its large upright and mounding to semi-trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large flowers that are pale pink in color with dark violet-colored venation and centers; and good garden performance and high temperature tolerance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ SUNSURF YOHAIHA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely-flowering Petunia plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2012 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 054C-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation Px5315-03, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since January, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Large upright and mounding to semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively large flowers that are pale pink in color with         dark violet-colored venation and centers.     -   7. Good garden performance and high temperature tolerance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have bright red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are larger than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/998,606. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Petunia were elliptic in shape         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’ were ovate in         shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were larger than flowers         of plants of ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’ had flowers that         were bright red purple in color.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had broader sepals than plants of         ‘Sunbui Mirehaha’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation 054C-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code designation Px5315-03,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Large upright and mounding to             semi-trailing plant habit; freely branching habit with             numerous lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             enhances lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 41 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 91 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 37 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.9 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; rough.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent; rough;             viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 143C; venation, close to 144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.9 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single-type salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 230 flowers developing per plant during the             flowering season; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Petunia initiate             and develop flowers about seven weeks after planting; long             flowering period, flowering commences naturally during the             spring and plants flower continuously throughout the summer             until late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.65 cm. Diameter: About 9.9 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to N77B; towards the apex,             close to 69A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 3.4 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,             fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal             length from throat: About 2.8 cm. Petal width: About 3.2 cm.             Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal             margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal,             when opening, upper surface: Close to 62D; at the margin,             close to 64C. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to             69D; at the margin, close to 70B. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 69D; at the margin, close to 68B; at the             throat, close to 67B; venation, close to 59C; color does not             change with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface:             Close to N155B; midvein, close to NN155A; at the margin,             close to N74C; color does not change with development.             Throat: Close to 83B to 83C; venation, close to 83A. Tube:             Close to 79C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 1.3 cm. Sepal width: About 6.2 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate to elliptic. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent; viscid. Color, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Distally,             close to NN155C; mid-section, close to N81C; proximally,             close to NN155B. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size:             About 1.7 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 92B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 79A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Style             color: Distally, close to 86C; proximally, close to 145D.             Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close             to 86B. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Seeds and fruits: Seed             and fruit development have not been observed on plants of             the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Yohaiha’ as illustrated and described. 